A.T. Robertson Commentary Ephesians 6:4

"And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but nurture them in the chastening and admonition of the Lord." — Ephesians 6:4 (ASV)

Provoke not to anger (μη παροργιζετε). Rare compound, both N.T. examples are quotations from the LXX. The active, as here, has a causative sense. Parallel in sense with μη ερεθιζετε in Col 3:21. Paul here touches the common sin of fathers.

In the chastening and admonition of the Lord (εν παιδεια κα νουθεσια του κυριου). Εν is the sphere in which it all takes place. There are only three examples in the N.T. of παιδεια, old Greek for training a παις (boy or girl) and so for the general education and culture of the child. Both papyri and inscriptions give examples of this original and wider sense (Moulton and Milligan, Vocabulary). It is possible, as Thayer gives it, that this is the meaning here in Eph 6:4. In 2 Timothy 3:16 adults are included also in the use. In Heb 12:5,7,11 the narrower sense of "chastening" appears which some argue for here. At any rate νουθεσια (from νουσ, τιθημ), common from Aristophanes on, does have the idea of correction. In N.T. only here and 1 Corinthians 10:11; Titus 3:10.